Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: crocodile

In May 1480, the farrier Andrés Díaz presented a petition in which he said “that he and other persons had gone to Santa María de Sonsoles. The church there was in poor condition and without decoration. The Provisor and Vicar General gave his permission for the establishment of a brotherhood under the name of Our Lady of Sonsoles. The brotherhood was very successful so the pilgrim hospital "Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles" was founded after 1500. As the number of pilgrims grew, the church was extended end of the 16th century. Its single nave was replaced by three naves There are many votive offerings in this church. Crocodiles are an unusual species in European churches. According to the information provided here, a man was riding through Panama when he encountered a crocodile. Praying to Señora de Sonsoles, he managed to finish the beast off, as his riding crop turned into a sword. This animal was loaded onto the ship back to Spain and stuffed. It has been on display since the 16th century.

Berlanga de Duero is located in the shadow of the castle of the same name is located. It was part of the Caliphate's defense system and was conquered by the Castilian king Fernando I of Castile in 1059. In the 16th century, the Marqueses de Berlanga, on whom the city depended, promoted a profound urban reform. They built the Collegiate Church, the Palace of the Marquises and the Hospital of San Antonio. In 1660 the castle caught fire and was abandoned. After papal permission had been granted in 1513 to convert the existing small church of Santa María del Mercado into a collegiate church, over the years 1526-1530 the old church was demolished and completely rebuilt as a representative collegiate church. Crocodiles are a very rare species in churches.

A legend tells, that Charlemagne personally founded a first monastery here, but there are so many places, who claim that... A small monastery existed here within the 9th century. As it was built close to the river Saalach, it was dedicated Saint Zeno, an early Christian Bishop of Verona and a patron saint against floods. In 1136 Konrad I von Abensberg, Archbishop of Salzburg, established Augustinian Canons here, well equipped with income from the salt (= hall) that was produced here. The construction of the three-nave-basilica took 80 years, it got consecrated in 1228. With a length of 80 meters, this was a huge structure. The church burnt down in 1512. When it got rebuilt, many Gothic elements were added (vaulting). Another fire destroyed great part in 1789, just before the monastery got secularized in 1803. Since then this is a parish church. There is an important cloister here, that even has a carving depicting Frederick I (Barbarossa). If you plan to visit Bad Reichenhall, inquire at the Tourist Office about it the opening hours. As the cloister now is part of a school, it is open for tourists only once or twice a week for an hour or two. I could not wait that long.. - The western portal from 1228 fortunately survived all fires and modernisations. Protected by a narthex, it is still on place and only little damaged. Seen here is the left of the two lions, guarding the portal. A small crocodile (?) has bitten in the lion´s tongue. Somehow this lion reminds me on one of the lions guarding the HSBC-building in Hongkong. Three lions from Bad Reichenhall, that probably watched over St. Zeno´s side portals, are kept in Bavarian National Museum (Bayrisches Nationalmuseum) in Munich.

Seville was a Roman "colonia" since 45BC. The important city got looted by the Vandals in 428 and developed into a Bishopric seat under Visigothic rule. After the Moors had defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Guadalete, the conquered Seville and made it the capital of a province. Normans devastated Seville in 844 but Seville got rebuilt and flourished under the different Moorish dynasties. In 1248 Seville was conquered by the troops of Ferdinand III of Castile. The emigration of hundredthousands of Moors to Northern Africa led to a decrease of economics in the whole area. Seville recovered in the 16th and 17th century, when it became the hub of Spanish maritime trade. During this period, the port of Seville had a monopoly on overseas trade. Vespucci and Magellan planned and started their voyages here. The Cathedral "Catedral de Santa María de la Sede" was erected between 1401 and 1519 on the remains of the Great Mosque of Seville, built in the 12th century. With about 11,520m² this is the third-largest church in the world as well as the largest Gothic church. The Cathedral in Cologne covers about 7,900m². The Great Mosque of Seville was dedicated in 1172 and completed 1198. It was a rectangular building 113m x 135m inculding a minaret ("La Giralda") and a courtyard. After the conquest the mosque was converted into the city's cathedral. The orientation was changed and it got divided into chapels by new walls. In 1401 it was decided to build a new cathedral and replace the mosque, that had served as a cathedral. In 1551, 5 years after construction ended, the crossing lantern ("cimborrio"), collapsed and was rebuilt. It collapsed again in 1888, and work continued until 1903. The cathedral of today is 115m long and 76 m wide. There are five naves, the vaultig over the central one is 42m high. The builders preserved some elements from the ancient mosque, best seen around the "sahn", now named "Patio de los Naranjos" (place of the orange trees). Three of the former four wings around the patio still exist and have horseshoe-arches. I was suprised to see this crocodile here, as crocodiles in churches are a rare species. The story behind starts with Berenguela, the beautiful daughter of Alfonso X. Now the Emir of Egypt wished for her hand in marriage. He sent a magnificent embassy to Seville with exotic gifts. Among these gifts were an elephant tusk and a giant live crocodile. The crocodile lived for many years and converted to Christianity before it died. A wooden model was carved, and covered with its skin, and this was hung here. And the Emir never got the girl.

A Benedictian monastery was founded by Hiberno-Scottish monks in Regensburg already around 1070. Soon after, the convent moved to a place just outside the city walls and in started to erect first buildings. The first church, consecrated in 1120, was of such a poor workmanship, that the convent decided to tear it down (except one apse and the flanking towers) and restart the process. The church of today was completed before 1200. It is one of the most important Romanesque structures in Bavaria. The abbey was a hub for the Irish/Scottish mission to central Europe. Daughter establishments of St. Jakob were founded in Vienna (1155), Erfurt (1136), Wuerzburg (1138), Nuremberg (1140), Constance (1142), Eichstaett (1148), Memmingen (1178), Kiev (!) (late 12th century) and Kelheim (13th century). WHile the first monks and abbots were Irish, the Scottish period started after the Reformation with Scottish abbot Ninian Vincet (1577-1592). A century later Scottish priests were educated here to do missionary work back in Scotland. Abbot Benedikt Aburthnot (1737-1820) could avoid the secularisation in 1802 by making clear, that the monastery was a Scottish (not at all Bavarian!) national treasure. It took upto 1814 to incorporate the Scottish monastery into the Bavarian sovereignty. Monastic life finally ended here in 1862, when the buildings were taken over by the bishop, who 10 years later founded a still existing seminary here. The northern portal ("Schottenportal") is one of the most important (and largest) Romanesque works of art in Germany. It occupies a third of the church´s northern wall and is divided into thirds both horizontally and vertically, plus a small frieze that tops the central arch (the vertical center). While most authors reckon, that Irish masters created this portal, Marcel Durliat sees parallels to works in Northern Italy, created by the Comacine masters ("Magistri Comacini"). He even connects this portal to the carvings in Linden and Remagen. The interpretation of such a large and cryptic portal has been controversial since the beginning, what means the 19th century, as only since then Romanesque carvings were seen as works of art (mostly). There was even a theory claiming that such a carving could not have been done during the 12th/13th century, and that it probably was added to the church later. The time of origin is not disputed any longer, but the meaning of figures and symbols. Richard Strobel ("Romanik in Altbayern") has no hard facts, but found out, that left (eastern) side stands for the "Good", while the right side stands for the "Evil". This meanwhile is undisputed. A detail from the rigt side. As seen on the previous shot: the crocodile and the hydrus (snake), what may stand as a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. Following the story from the Physiologus, the crocodile rolls the hydrus in mud, before eating it. Once inside the crocodile's stomach, the hydrus would burst free - and kill the crocodile "from inside". Below these two mythical creatures, and so probably in the hell´s lowest level are three persons/souls - and a (weathered) mermaid. The trio is well dressed, has short hair (tonsure?) and holds books. So they may be well educated monks, but obviously they followed the mermaid into a sinful life - and so their souls ended here. In front a weathered lion. The lion´s paws rest on the shoulders of a small human. He will be devoured by the lion within short.

The village Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, named after a bishop of the once existing diocese here,was just like neighbouring Valcabrère once part of a large Roman settlement, that may have had about 30.000 inhabitants. In the early 5th century the Vandals sacked the city, in 585 merovingian troops razed the site, that probably had the bishopric seat already at that time. Saint Bertrand of Comminges (1073–1123) restored and fortified the town. He commissioned the erection of the cathedral. Saint Bertrand´s tomb was a center of regional pilgrimage already before he got canonized around 1220. Pope Clement V, who had once been Bishop of this diocese, strongly promoted the pilgrimage, so that soon after the Romanesque church was to small for the many "pelerins". Between 1304 and 1352 the major part of old nave got demolished to make room for a new, larger Gothic nave. I do like to find strange or even bizarre "things" in and around churches. This stuffed crocodile, mounted to a wall, is in deed very strange. I learned, that there is a legend, that the reptil crawled up the river and was killed by Saint Bertrand by the power of a prayer. It is more likely, the the crocodile is an ex voto, brought back by a knight from one of the crusades. This is the second stuffed croc I found in a French church. The other one is in the church of Oiron (Poitou-Charentes). I do remember another one hanging down in the cloister of the Cathedral of Sevilla. More infos can be found at the cathedral´s website: www.cathedrale-saint-bertrand.org/

A priory of the Abbey Sainte-Barbe en Auge (100 kms east) existed nearby since 1107. "Notre Dame" (co-dedicated to "Sainte Barbe") was given to the priory in 1165. An inscription in the apse tells, that the church was consecrated in 1128. The choir and apse, constructed during the Romanesque period, still exist pretty complete. Here is one of the capitals of the choir. There are two griffins. The inscription reads COCODRIAS, what may be connected to the greek word for crocoldile (κροκόδιλος). The Abbey Sainte-Barbe en Auge was founded by Odon Stigand (1055). Odon´s son Robert was a well travelled gentleman, who brought the Sant Barbe´s skull to the abbey "from the east". So Robert may have seen crocodiles. Twice I found stuffed crocodiles in French churches. One in Oiron (Poitou-Charentes), one in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (Midi-Pyrénées).

Notre-Dame was built from white, local stones within the 12th century and got remodeled and enlarged at least three times, before the 19th-renovation startet. Actually parts of the transept are even older, dated to the 11th century. Three domes span over the nave. This church is known for the capitals. In case, there were doubts about the existence of a crocodile on the other capital (previous upload), all the doubts are gone here. This is a crocdile - and below is a chameleon.There cannot be any doubt about these animals. They are still exotic, but within the 12th centuries these animals must have been a myth. If - this capital was created within the 12th century. Did the carver return from a cruisade and saw crocodiles and chameleons? The sculpture of chameleon is so detailled - did he own a stuffed lizard? Or was this capital added during the 19th-century-renovation - and so is only about 150 years old? I could not find out, but it may well be.

Notre-Dame was built from white, local stones within the 12th century and got remodeled and enlarged at least three times, before the 19th-renovation startet. Actually parts of the transept are even older, dated to the 11th century. Three domes span over the nave. This church is known for the capitals. Here is one of them, depicting a (dancing?) pig (note the tail!), an ass, a cock, (a bit exotic), and a crocodil. Is this a croc? It does have the typical long snout, but how should a carver within the 12th century have knowlegde about this reptile. Did he return from a cruisade and saw crocodiles in Egypt? Or was this capital created and added during the 19th-century-renovation - and only is about 150 years old? I could not find out. In case, you do not "recognise" that croc - just see the next upload.

Charles VII of France known in French as "le Bien-Servi", what is "the Well-Served", must have been indeed well served, as in 1449 he gave the village and the forest of Oiron to Guillaume Gouffier, who was his "valet de chambre". From then on the Gouffier family played an interesting role in the following centuries. Guillaume Gouffier had a château built here, but it was his son Artus, a diplomat for Francis I, who, impressed by the Italian Renaissance, updated it to the "new style". His wife Helene de Hengest was responsible for the construction of the collegiate church Saint-Maurice. This stuffed crocodile is one of the most unusual pieces of decoration, I even found in a European church. I was so impressed, that I could not resist to upload two photos... According to information given in Oiron, just a century ago the villagers rubbed the jaws of the crocodile to combat fever. Actually a part of the lower jaw is gone. The story goes, that Artus´ younger brother Admiral Guillaume Gouffier de Bonnivet brought the crocodile to Oiron. Artus was a friend and powerful favourite of Francis I of France. He had three sons, all named Francis. Guillaume was known for bravado and brilliant wit. He was a womanizer and it is widely believed, that he was the hero in a story of the Heptameron, written by Francis I´s sister Marguerite d'Angoulême, who was also courted by him. He died at the Battle of Pavia in 1525.

Monks, lay brothers and workers from the Benedictian Abbaye royale of Saint-Jean-d'Angély (20kms northwest), started to build this church end of the 11th century. The Benedictian abbey, part of the cluniac network, had been founded by Louis the Pious´ son Pepin I of Aquitaine in the 9th century. Given up during the Viking raids, the abbey grew rich, famous and important, when the Via Turonensis developed. Thousends of pilgrims followed that way and as a relic of John the Baptist was kept in the abbey, this was a major halt on the "chemin". The abbey sponsored the building of dozends of churches in the Poitou. The church was dedicated to Saint-Hérie (aka "Saint Arediu", "Arède d'Atane"). The village around the church was consequently named "Saint-Herie" before it got merged into the small town of Matha. During the 100 Years´War, the area changed hands a couple of times, before the "Battle of Taillebourg" 1242 (30kms west) ended the "Saintonge-War". The Wars of Religion were even worse for Saint-Hérie. Only the facade and the southern wall of the nave survived the fury. Matha was a stronghold of the Huguenots, who were evicted and exiled after the "Edict of Nantes" got revoked in 1685. Following that all protestant churches existing in the town got leveled to the ground. Many small details of the facade may be reconstructed after the mutilation, but the portal is beautiful. There are some nice, but strange capitals. A serious looking man may be a "Master of Beasts", holding up two snakes with crocodile heads. He is doing the splits, what normally is performed by contortionists. So he may be an artist, maybe a ventriloquist, holding up his two puppets, changing his voice... Or - more horrible - the person has no feet! He shows, that instead of feet he has crocodile heads. There is a very small leg visible under his left sleeve. A nighmare!